Essential Human Resources for Language Acquisition

Abbreviations: L1 = your native language; L2 = target language; N = native speaker

If you are acquiring a foreign language, endeavor to make the following friends:

1. L1 fluent in the L2: The L1 friend should be fluent in the L2 to an adult academic level in all phases (reading, writing, speaking, comprehension). The L1 friend, despite being fluent, is not as much a model to emulate as they are a resource to explain, in your L1, issues/challenges related to L1 to L2 acquisition. As a fellow native L1 speaker, they will be aware of things that L2 friends are not.

2. L2N fluent in L1: The L2 friend is ideally fluent to an academic level in your L1. As a L2N they are a source to model. The fluent L2 friend can answer questions in both your L2 and L1, though their level of insight at the L1 level is not as high as the fluent L1 friend.

3. L2 not fluent in L1: This friend is more for output practice than anything else; a native who comes with no escape hatch (your L1) that forces you to utilize what you know.

These friends should be accessible, understanding, supportive, and encouraging of your efforts.